Czech Parliament Gives First Green Light to Bill Tightening Temporary Protection for Ukrainians and Digitising Residence Procedures

On 24 June 2026 the Chamber of Deputies voted 112-65 to advance a government bill that will substantially tighten the rules for Ukrainians living in the Czech Republic under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive. The draft—championed by Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar—now heads to the Security Committee before a decisive second-reading expected after the summer recess. The most eye-catching change is the introduction of a ‘physical-stay test’: adults drawing the monthly humanitarian benefit (currently CZK 4,860) will have to spend at least 16 days each month inside Czech territory and either hold a job, run a trade licence or be registered with the Labour Office. Officials say the measure targets a small but growing group engaged in so-called “benefit tourism”, often shuttling between Poland, Germany and Ukraine while collecting Czech payments. The bill also paves the way for a long-awaited digital overhaul of the Alien Police agenda. Residence permit applications, renewals and cancellations will move to an e-government platform that links ministry databases with municipal offices, cutting average processing times from eight to three weeks.



Navigating these shifting requirements can be daunting, but VisaHQ can shoulder much of the administrative burden. Through its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/), the company provides up-to-date guidance on residence rules, document checklists and end-to-end application support—resources that prove invaluable for both individual applicants and HR teams supervising Ukrainian staff.

EU citizens who stay more than 90 days will for the first time have a legal duty—not just a recommendation—to register online. This is expected to improve municipal head-counts and the allocation of EU cohesion funds. Other provisions include an automatic lapse of protection if the holder remains outside the Schengen Area for more than 30 days, tougher penalties for people-smuggling and a requirement that Ukrainian-plated cars be entered into the Czech vehicle register so that traffic fines can be enforced. Critics in opposition parties argue the package unfairly penalises the vulnerable and risks pushing some refugees into undeclared work. For employers the message is mixed: a clearer legal framework makes it easier to verify an employee’s status online, but HR departments will need to track staff travel more closely and help them maintain the 16-day physical presence rule. Foreign-talent advisers recommend updating internal mobility policies and budgeting for possible gaps if a worker’s status lapses mid-assignment.